Chapter 418

Gabriel’s breath hitches and he stands straight as I roughly push myself away from him, taking a step back, wiping my cyanide-coated fingertips against the fabric of the apron. “Thanks for providing me a room with so many beauty supplies,” I say, quite casual, as his breath starts to come short. “The petroleum jelly is very useful for chapped lips and…” I wave my fingertips at him. “Keeping poisons from entering through the skin.”

“You bitch,” he rasps, stumbling back, oxygen already starting to fail him. “Have – have you killed me?”

“Not yet,” I sigh, crossing my arms over my chest as I watch him fall to the floor. “I just gave you a little bit of cyanide. Because I still have questions. Bye bye for now!” I wave to him as his eyes flutter shut and he begins to moan in pain and confusion, a hand going to his chest, where he’s likely started having heart palpitations.

I watch him for a moment, considering my dosage and the effects, monitoring him closely. But when I’m pretty sure that I’ve gotten it right and that he’s in no physical state to grab and hurt me, I stride forward and sort through his pockets until I find the talisman there. I study it – just a little rectangular rock very similar to the one Jackson showed me last night, though black instead of grey. I sigh, putting the talisman in my pocket, taking my nearly unconscious mate’s hand and smiling down at him.

“Let’s take a little trip to Darkness,” I say quietly. “Don’t worry, I’ve got a little nest all set up for you there.”

I pull on my inner power and tilt us both away to the cage. Gabriel moans, his eyes fluttering as he works hard to hold on to consciousness.

“It’s okay, baby,” I coo, patting his hand. “Let it go. I’ll take care of you.”

He snarls and I grin, but otherwise ignore him, sitting next to him and keeping his hand in mine.

Before I do anything else I shut my eyes and shout in my mind for Jacks, the signal we arranged earlier, urging him to come back. There’s no immediate response but I don’t worry about that, instead focusing on the man laying in front of me.

I shift my focus inward to my wolf. Is his wolf down? I ask, eager and interested.

Yes, she replies, prowling back and forth at the edge of my soul, peering to where his wolf is laying in a puddle of that oily substance, gasping for air, just his snout holding above that dark liquid. Pity fills me as I look at that poor abused wolf, but I force myself to turn away, knowing that pity isn’t going to get me anywhere right now.

Is he faking it? I ask, anxious, not wanting to take any risks on this point.

I don’t think so, my wolf murmurs in reply, still peering at him. I think…I think he’s taken down by the poison too. He was very weak to begin with.

I nod once and then stand, shaking my head at the prince for a moment. “Okay,” I say to him, even though I doubt he can hear. “I’ll be back…in a little bit.”

And then again I vanish away to my room and stride for the bell pull that connects to Pippa and Elias’s room, giving it a strong tug.

A heartbeat after I pull the bell a worried knock sounds at my door.

“Well, that is…way too fast,” I murmur, frowning.

I hesitate only a second before the knock comes again, alongside a shouted “Ariel!”

I gasp and dash for the door, yanking it open and grabbing Ben, pulling him inside.

“How the hell did you get here!?” I gasp, staring at him with wide eyes as I slam the door shut.

“Ariel,” he says, staring back at me, just as appalled. “The castle is…complete chaos. Half of our guards have been diverted to searching for this mystery murderer – I spent the entire night sneaking out of my room and trying to bribe people to find out which room was yours –“

“Why are they searching for the murderer?” I ask, my face twisted in confusion. “It’s very obviously Gabriel –“

“Ariel!” Ben breathes, putting his hands on my shoulders and giving me a little shake. “When I say chaos I mean chaos – are you aware that the protective magic all over the castle has just fallen?”

I gasp, my eyes going wide. Because how the hell did I not think of that as a consequence!?

On one hand…this is very bad. Shit – shit! People are going to be looking everywhere for Gabriel.

But on the other hand…I whip my head to the side and stare hard at my comforter, the corner of which bursts into flame.

Ben shrieks and dashes for it, jumping on the bed and quickly smothering the fire as I laugh and clap my hands, jumping up and down a few times. Ben snaps his gaze back to me, a growl on his voice. “Ariel, this is not the time to play pyromaniac princess. We need to come up with a plan! We need to –“

The door flies open, Pippa and Elias stumbling in. “Ariel!” Elias gasps.

But then he goes very, very still as he sees who is kneeling on my bed, a charred bit of fabric in his hands.

Pippa’s eyes whip between the two men and I grimace a little, worried for her as she quietly pushes the door shut.

“Um, everyone,” I say quietly. “This is…Benny.”

“Benjamin,” Ben snaps, shooting me a glare. “Or, um, Ben. Ben Ternicki. I’m an…ambassador from Moon Valley…”

He finishes rather lamely as Pippa comes to stand next to Elias’s side, her hand going immediately to her stomach. Then Ben goes very, very pale as he puts together the pieces. I mean, he would have seen them last night, but today…

Well, today, with the possessive gleam in Pippa’s eyes…

It’s very clear who the father of her child is.

“Okay,” I say, my voice humming a bit with anxiety. “Um, so, this is weird, but it’s about to get…weirder.”

“What?” Ben and Elias say together, spinning their heads to me.

I can’t help my grin at their synchronicity. “So, I kind of…did something…”

“Oh, Ariel,” Ben groans, slipping off the bed and coming to stand by my side. “Ari, god damn it. What did you do?”

“Don’t get mad, okay?” I say, turning towards Pippa and Elias now, my face pleading.

Pippa’s eyes go wide as Elias’s narrow. “What’s going on?” he asks, stern.

“Um, just…come with me,” I say, holding out my hands to everyone.

Elias groans but obeys, his eyes locking on Ben’s as each of them hold my hand and Pippa takes Elias’s.

I take a deep breath and then shift to the other world, where we all land together in the cage, Prince Gabriel collapsed in the nest of blankets at my feet, his breath faint.

Pippa shrieks, looking around at the other world as Elias shouts, falling to his knees at his brother’s side.

“Holy shit, holy shit,” Benny murmurs, staring between Gabriel and me. “Ariel! Did you…did you poison him!?”

“A little bit,” I say, pinching my fingers together as I grimace first at Ben and then at Pippa and Elias when they turn their heads to stare at me in shock.

I give all three of the conscious people in the cage my best princess smile.

But I let it drop when all three just continue to stare at me, appalled.

“Oh, come on!” I huff, stomping my foot. “I only poisoned him a little bit!”